Efficiency was the main word for the 2018 March annual Tofte Township meeting held at the Birch Grove Community Center in the gymnasium. Less than 20 (17 when I was there) people attended the one-hour twenty minute meeting.
The residents who turned out voted unanimously to approve a 2019 levy of $184,122. This is down from the 2018 levy of $212,872 and the 2017 levy of $236,497. The reason for the drop in the levy can be attributed to a drop in expenses, which were $320,897 in 2017 and $298,372 in 2018. Expenses are projected to be $271,622 for 2019.
The biggest savings came from not having to pay WECONNECT and Birch Grove to help run programs, said Craig Horak. That amounted to $37,500 the township now keeps. In the meantime the town gives Birch Grove Community Service free office space in exchange for the staff to take calls on behalf of the township. “It works out great for both of us,” said Horak.
Short reports were given about the ongoing (possible) workforce housing initiative, Birch Grove Community Center, WECONNECT, and the fire/ rescue report.
The Birch Grove Community Center posted income of $61,918 for 2017, most of that coming from the Birch Grove Community charter school. Still, cost to maintain the building and programs for the community is projected at $80,000 for 2019. Because folks from Schroeder and Lutsen use the community center, the township is seeking $7,000 from each community to help defray the maintenance costs for Birch Grove.
Sam Crowley was elected unanimously to retain his supervisor position while Barb Gervais was unanimously reelected to serve a two-year term as township clerk. No one ran to serve out the one year remaining on the treasurer position held by Nancy Iverson.
Rescue squad captain Kim Jahnke reported that the volunteer rescue squad responded to 41 calls; most were in response to calls for medical help.
This past year the Tofte Firefighters responded to 22 calls.
Donation requests from the Sugarbush Trail Association for $1,500 and from Lutsen Alpine Junior Ski team for $1,000 were both approved by the voters on hand.
Voters approved spending up to $20,000 to replace the town park pavilion. Horak said the town had some funds stashed away to fix the pavilion, but upon close inspection it was noted that the concrete footings had also cracked and the whole works will be replaced, said Horak.
With the sun gaining strength the ice is leaving the Birch Grove Community Center hockey rink by the minute, said Horak, who said the rink is all but closed for the year.
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